Legend of lapis lazuli through the ages

A precious stone revered since antiquity

Lapis lazuli is a precious stone revered by the Egyptians since antiquity and still prized today. Its intense blue color ( lazurite ), flecked with gold ( pyrite ), evoked the starry sky , the deities and the afterlife .

A rare gem with ancient origins

This very rare stone is extracted primarily from the Sar-e-Sang mines in Afghanistan , which have been exploited for over 6,000 years , and was associated with power , worn by princes and kings . Tutankhamun's funerary mask , made of 10 kg of gold and adorned with precious stones , included lapis lazuli . According to Egyptian beliefs , gold represented the flesh of the gods and lapis lazuli their hair .

A symbol of protection and eternity

Lapis lazuli also adorned amulets placed in tombs , symbolizing protection and eternity . These talismans took the form of eyes or scarabs . The scarabs , found in large numbers in Tutankhamun's tomb , represented the sun god Khepri .

Ultramarine blue: an artistic legacy of lapis lazuli

Lapis lazuli also gave rise to ultramarine blue , a natural pigment obtained by grinding the stone, highly prized for its deep hues and used in medieval and Renaissance painting and illuminated manuscripts . This pigment was synthesized in 1826 , making its use more accessible. Its artistic use continues to this day, as evidenced by the famous Villa Jardin Majorelle in Morocco , surrounded by a sumptuous exterior and adorned with an intense blue .